Facts have emerged on how Governor ‘Seyi Makinde’s intervention and prompt response on Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso contributed to its recent ranking as the best state by Webomatric and Alpha Dogger Index.
The state-owned institution, which was for some years entangled in the web of financial and ownership crisis between Oyo and Osun states was recently rescued by Governor Makinde who ensured sole ownership of the institution and regular payment of staff salaries and outstanding.
Recall that Webomatric listed LAUTECH as the Best State University in Nigeria, 12 out of 260 universities in the country and 2,847th in the world, while AD Scientifics of Turkey rated LAUTECH as 11th best overall in Nigeria, number one State University and the best University of Technology in Nigeria, aside from being 74th in Africa.
One of the yardsticks for a rating of universities is academic stability and consistency in research and publishing of journals. These eluded LAUTECH a few years before Governor Makinde took over the mantle of leadership of the state.
The regular payment of salaries and enhancement of conducive environment by the government boosted the morale of the academics in the institution to concentrate and work harder for the progress of the institution
Although part of his electoral campaign was to ensure sole proprietorship of LAUTECH which has been achieved, the government is yet to pay all the outstanding salary arrears, promotion arrears and some entitlements.
An inside source who pleaded anonymity said “honestly, Governor Makinde is trying for LAUTECH, his efforts contributed to the status of LAUTECH as the Best State University in Nigeria, and I’m sure that if he continues to fund the university properly more feats would be achieved.
“You can see there is no more strike, though the government is still owning us, the management has assured us that we will be paid and we are also ready to put in our best, we are ready to complement the effort of both the management and the state government to make LAUTECH far better and greater than it is now .
Meanwhile, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogbomoso, Hon Akinwale Akinwole has congratulated the management and staff of LAUTECH on their ranking as the Best State University in Nigeria.
Akinwole, popularly known as Wolekanle, in a statement, said the development is evident that Government Makinde’s effort is yielding positive results.
LAUTECH is the major source of economy in Ogbomoso and whatever affects the school affects Ogbomoso generally but thank God our Governor did not let us down; he fulfilled his promise of taking over sole ownership of the institution and he also ensured the staff are well paid their salaries, including the arrears.
Wolekanle, however, urged the government to expedite action on making LAUTECH a conventional university to have better replacements for the Faculty of Agriculture that was taken to Iseyin.
“I joined the entire stakeholders to celebrate the feast and wish them more of such outstanding advancement and academic excellence.”
